Restaurant review: L’Alouette

Flounder Francaise, one of the choices on the expansive 5-6 p.m. prix fixe menu at L'Alouette by Christian, was a huge and tasty filet. [LAURIE HIGGINS]

By Laurie Higgins, contributing writer

We love prix fixe menus because we prefer smaller portions but like to taste a lot of different items. Most prix fixe menus offer just a few choices, but the one at L’Alouette by Christian in Harwich Port is more expansive than usual. The portions were also a lot larger than we expected.

L’Alouette has two cozy dining rooms with glowing candles and tables covered with white linen. The front dining room had a crackling fire in the fireplace. The back room, where we were seated, has rich red accents on the walls and curtains that make the space feel warm. Fanciful artwork adorns the walls in both rooms.

Our water glasses were filled immediately and a basket of soft warm bread with herb butter soon appeared. Out of the six choices for starters, my husband ordered the gnocchi with parmesan cream. The pillow-like gnocchi were swimming in a light cream sauce that was enhanced with sautéed mushrooms, bits of bacon, sweet peas and bits of sun-dried tomatoes. It was delicious.

I started with lobster, crab and corn beignets with Bahamian dipping sauce. The three beignets were light and fluffy, but I would have preferred a bit more lobster and corn. Finely sliced cornichons added a piquant boost to the dipping sauce.

For an entrée, my husband enjoyed the 12-ounce pork chop on a trimmed bone. The chop had beautiful sear marks and was cooked a perfect medium. He wished it had been seasoned a bit more before cooking, but the port wine demi-glace added plenty of dipping flavor.

On the side, there was a small mound of mashed potatoes, topped with a fried mashed potato cake sliced in half on the bias, points sticking up in a jaunty fashion. The fried mashed potato had been dipped in egg and breaded before being fried to add a delightful crunch.

His dish also included fresh green beans, sautéed with bits of bacon for smoky appeal, as well as diced and roasted butternut squash.

There were two fish du jour choices on the evening we visited. I opted for the flounder Francaise. The enormous portion of fresh flounder was dipped in egg and flour and sautéed to a golden brown. It was topped with an incredibly buttery beurre blanc that was enhanced nicely by a squeeze of the fresh lemon on the plate.

On the side, a molded mound of jasmine rice was a nice touch. Roasted asparagus and dilled carrots added color and flavor. It was a lovely presentation and a wonderful meal. It’s rare that I don’t finish a piece of fish, but I had dessert to look forward to.

With dinner, my husband had a glass of 2014 Angels and Cowboys ($13), which was a nice blend of zinfandel, cabernet and Malbec. A glass of unoaked Macon Chardonnay ($9) was a fine complement to my flounder.

I planned to order the old-fashioned baked chocolate pudding, but it sounded a little rich for my level of fullness. Instead I chose the lighter vanilla bean crème brulee, which had a glass-like top that was thick enough to shatter in a satisfying manner.

My husband opted for the extremely rich caramel-hazelnut and chocolate pie. The hazelnut crust was a bit hefty. It was tasty, but a little hard to cut. The crust was filled with creamy layers of chocolate and caramel and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Two excellent cups of coffee cut through the sweetness.

Service was attentive and personalized. We noticed that many of the other diners were regulars and the waiter knew their names and preferences. When I explained that the leftover pork chop was for us, but the leftover vegetables and rice were for our chickens, our server Marko drew an adorable little chicken on the take-out container so we would know which one was for them.

The ambiance was lovely, the food was delicious and at $28 per person for three courses, the price was right. But you do have to plan on an earlyish dinner: The prix fixe menu runs from 5 to 6 p.m. every night the restaurant is open. Reservations are recommended.